This invention relates to communications equipment and, more particularly, to a method and system for providing voice and data service.
In a communications network, signals using various telecommunications and data protocols typically are communicated from a source over a transmission line to a node. The node forwards those signals to a destination, often over another transmission line. Some nodes receive data packets from various sources, or convert source signals to data packets, and forward the data packets to various destinations. Various packet transmission and time division multiplexing (xe2x80x9cTDMxe2x80x9d) transmission protocols are known, and include, but are not limited to, ATM, ethernet, frame relay, GR-303, HDLC, MPLS, V5.x, and xDSL protocols.
xDSL is a communications technology that allows high speed data communication over a copper wire pair, or loop. One application of xDSL is communicating hundreds of thousands of bits per second of data over the existing copper telephone wire pairs that are already in place between telephone offices and subscribers, sometimes referred to as subscriber loops. xDSL is a technology that allows a service provider to make use of the already existing telephone subscriber loops to provide new services.
One type of system that provides xDSL data service is referred to as a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer, or DSLAM. A DSLAM is used to interface subscriber xDSL connections to a computer network. Generally, such DSLAM systems share the copper wire loop with a separate telephone switch or digital loop carrier. The telephone switch provides telephone service and the DSLAM provides high-speed data service. Generally, a DSLAM and telephone switch share a subscriber""s copper wire loop by dividing the frequency band available to the copper wire loop. The telephone switch communicates with the subscriber telephone equipment in the baseband, as is traditional for such telephone equipment, and the xDSL/DSLAM equipment operates in the frequencies above the voice-band, for example above 20 kHz. Having two separate types of equipment, a DSLAM and a telephone switch, is costly and inefficient, at least in part because it requires maintenance of two types of equipment.
The invention relates to a method and system for providing voice and data service, in which voice signals and data signals are communicated over the same protocol link layer. In one embodiment, a network node and associated network terminal unit provide voice and data service by communicating voice telephone signals and data signals over a subscriber line by communicating packets associated with the voice telephone signals and packets associated with the data signals over the same protocol link layer. The network node communicates the subscriber data packets with a data network and subscriber voice packets with a telephone network.
In one aspect, the invention relates to a method for providing voice and data service. The method includes receiving voice telephone signals, receiving data signals, and transmitting packets in a single protocol link layer over a subscriber line in response to the received telephone signals and the received data signals. The method also includes receiving packets in a single protocol link layer over the subscriber line, transmitting data signals in response to the packets received from the subscriber line, and transmitting voice telephone signals in response to the packets received from the subscriber line.
In one embodiment, the steps of the method are performed simultaneously. In another embodiment, the packets are transmitted in a single protocol link layer over a subscriber loop in response to the received telephone signals and the received data signals, and packets are received in a single protocol link layer over the subscriber loop. In another embodiment, packets are transmitted in a single protocol link layer over a subscriber loop using xDSL protocol in response to the received telephone signals and the received data signals, and packets are received in a single protocol link layer over the subscriber loop using xDSL protocol. In another embodiment, connection protocol packets are transmitted in a single protocol link layer over a subscriber loop using xDSL protocol in response to the received telephone signals and the received data signals, and connection protocol packets are received in a single protocol link layer over the subscriber loop using xDSL protocol. In another embodiment, connection protocol packets are transmitted in a single protocol link layer over a subscriber loop using xDSL protocol to a network node in response to the received telephone signals and the received data signals, and connection protocol packets are received in a single protocol link layer over the subscriber loop using xDSL protocol from a network node.
In yet another embodiment, the voice telephone signals and data signals are communicated with different connections. In another embodiment, voice telephone signals are transmitted and received to and from a telephone connection, and data signals are transmitted and received to and from a data connection. In another embodiment, voice telephone signals are transmitted and received to and from a telephone trunk, and data signals are transmitted and received to and from a data network.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for providing voice and data service that includes the steps of communicating voice telephone signals and data signals with a first network node, and communicating connection protocol packets in a single protocol link layer between the first network node and a second network node in response to the voice telephone signals and the data signals. In one embodiment, the voice telephone signals are communicated between a telephone network and the first network node, and the data signals are communicated between a data network and the first network node.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a subscriber line connected to a network node and a subscriber device. The subscriber line carries a xDSL signal. The xDSL signal carries connection protocol packets. The connection protocol packets carry voice telephone signals and data signals. The voice telephone signals and data signals are communicated on the same protocol link layer over the subscriber line.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a network terminal unit. The network terminal unit includes a telephone interface in communication with a telephone connection and a data interface in communication with a data connection. The network terminal interface includes a transceiver in communication with the telephone interface, the data interface, and a subscriber line connection. The transceiver communicates packets in a single protocol link layer over the subscriber line connection in response to telephone signals received by the telephone interface and data signals received by the data interface.
In one embodiment, the data interface includes an ethernet protocol interface. In another embodiment, the telephone interface includes a POTS interface. In another embodiment, the transceiver includes an interworking function for receiving packets from the telephone interface and the data interface and converting the packets into connection protocol packets, a connection protocol switch for identifying the destination of the connection protocol packets, and a switch interface for transmitting the connection protocol packets over the subscriber line connection. In another embodiment, the transceiver receives connection protocol packets in a single protocol link layer from the subscriber loop connection, and communicates voice telephone signals to the telephone interface and data signals to the data interface in response to the connection protocol packets. In another embodiment, the transceiver includes a connection protocol switch for identifying the destination of the connection protocol packets, and an interworking function for converting the connection protocol packets into data appropriate for the voice interface and the data interface.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a network node that includes at least one function module. The function module includes a protocol interface for receiving signals and converting the signals into intermediate packets, and for transmitting signals in response to intermediate packets. The function modules also includes an interworking function for receiving the intermediate packets from the protocol interface and converting the packets into connection protocol format, and for converting connection protocol packets into intermediate packets and providing the intermediate packets to the protocol interface. The function module also includes a connection protocol switch for identifying the destination of the connection protocol packets, and a switch interface for communicating connection protocol packets with a backplane switch.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a system for providing voice and data service. The system includes a network node that includes at least one function module. The function module includes a protocol interface for receiving signals and converting the signals into intermediate packets, and for transmitting signals in response to intermediate packets. The function module also includes an interworking function for receiving the intermediate packets from the protocol interface and converting the packets into connection protocol format. The function module also includes converting connection protocol packets into intermediate packets and providing the intermediate packets to the protocol interface. The function module also includes a connection protocol switch for identifying the destination of the connection protocol packets, and a switch interface for communicating connection protocol packets with a backplane switch. The system also includes a subscriber line in electrical communication with the protocol interface on the network node function module. The system also includes a network terminal unit. The network terminal unit includes a subscriber line interface in communication with the subscriber line for communicating connection protocol packets in a single protocol link layer over the subscriber line with the network node.